One Last Point: Home

June 12, 2012 10:33 pm

There are always projects to be done. Whether it is another story to be written for the Pilot, or a team portrait to capture, or a sporting event at which to take action photos, there is always another project to add to my list.

Now my list has grown exponentially. It’s all by choice – my wife’s and mine – but it is daunting.

You see, we bought a house. Not just any house either. It’s a Fixer-Upper.

It’s kind of like Michael Jordan buying the Charlotte Bobcats. There is a ton of junk to strip away and dispose of in the dumpster.

There is some rot that isn’t revealed until the junk has been thrown away, and then hopefully when all is said and done, there will be a nice, shiny place where people want to be – and truly enjoy being.

Jordan became a majority owner of the Bobcats in 2010, and his renovation project hasn’t been all that successful. In fact, it led to the worst record in the team’s NBA history.

I was in Charlotte two weeks ago, and I didn’t see any kind of local pride in the team. When I travel to Portland, I see Trailblazer “stuff” all over town. I’m a Blazer fan though and so I am probably more sensitive to the “stuff” than a non-fan might be.

But I still found it weird that the residents of Charlotte didn’t seem to be all that excited about the team.

It’s understandable because the Bobcats have done so poorly, but its not acceptable.

I’m excited about my renovations, and I expect to see great results long before the 2012 basketball season draws to an end. But, I also have complete control over the situation.

Editor’s note: Mr. Hatch seems to be operating under the illusion that he has control over what happens with a project that he and his wife are working on together. The Pilot is pleased to inform its readers that Mrs. Hatch is truly in charge of the project and it will be done beautifully, on-schedule and under-budget.

With my renovation there aren’t as many variables as there are with rebuilding a basketball team, or the variables just aren’t on as large a scale.

What I don’t get about Jordan’s purchase is, why the Bobcats?

I understand why we bought our house – it met six out of six criteria that my wife had for purchasing a home in Brookings – but I don’t understand why Jordan bought the Bobcats.

Two of the top criteria were that our house be close to schools and to shopping. Our new house is in walking distance to both. Jordan’s new team is probably just a helicopter – or private jet – ride away from where he lives, so it’s kind of the same.

Another of our top criteria was that the place be a home we could make our own. Something a little older that would lend itself to renovations. We got just what we wanted and we’re excitedly working on making it as perfect as can be.

Jordan probably wasn’t looking for a team that needed as many renovations as the Bobcats require, but he got it.

One other criteria was that there be room for my studio, so that I can continue to be a portrait photographer as well as a journalist.

There is plenty of room on the team for Jordan to come out of retirement again, and they couldn’t do much worse with him than they have done with him, could they?

One of the remaining requirements was that it be within our price range, and we could afford it.

I’m going to operate on the assumption that Jordan made the purchase because the price was right.

All I know is he paid a whole lot more than I did and got a whole lot less.